Garth Was Right
by ensiathe3rd
Summary: "My child, it's simple really. We could of course just kill you, but it would be more fun to break you first."
1. Where Your Road Leads

**Chapter 1 Where Your Road Leads**

Students were starting to arrive in bulk and flood the hallways. Within minutes the once silent halls were filled with hundreds of teenagers, most none too pleased to be back for another day of government sponsored torture, but nonetheless talking pleasantly with their friends. Individual conversations melted together into the overall din of the morning. One of the teenagers sat silently on the floor with her back against a wall. Her hair was dyed a fiery red and pulled back into a ponytail. A pale hand tapped the leather bound journal in her lap while gray eyes frantically searched the hallway for a familiar face.

She didn't have to wait long when she heard a voice call, "Jess!" from the crowd. Jess turned her head to the source of the sound and her eyes were met with the sight of a tan, dark haired girl making her way toward her. Jess waved and made to stand up. Pain erupted in her side as she remembered why she was sitting in the first place. She grit her teeth and closed her eyes to keep from crying out. Through the fog of pain Jess felt two gentle but firm hands on her shoulders gently push her back to her original position on the floor. As the stabbing pain dulled to an uncomfortable throbbing in her ribs Jess became cognizant of her friend sitting next to her softly singing, "...change the fate's design… save what has been lost...bring back what once was mine...what once was mine." She wasn't even looking at Jess, but staring into the crowded hallway.

A rush of fear flooded out any thought of pain in Jess' mind, she sighed, and "It doesn't work like that Willa."

If Willa noticed the fear in Jess' voice she didn't respond to it, she didn't even turn. She simply let out a laugh, not her normal laugh but a bitter and cold sound that Jess hated to hear come from her friend's lips. Willa shook her head and spoke, tired and dejected, "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know. "With each repetition Willa's voice became more and more agitated as her head fell into her hands. With each repetition the pain in Jess' chest increased, but it had nothing to do with her bruised ribs. Willa took a deep breath and pulled her head out of her hands and continued speaking, her voice back to its tired tone, "Sometimes I wish it did though, that we could actually use something from Disney to our advantage," Willa turned toward Jess, there were dark rings under her eyes and there was a district lack of light in the brown orbs. Jess figured her own eyes were no better. "Can you really blame me? When we go to sleep we wake up in the Disney parks as holograms where we are attacked by crazed Disney villains. You have dreams that tell you the future and Amanda can move objects with her mind. Why should it be out of the realm of possibilities to have something that can heal us?"

Another pang of pain shot Jess through the heart and she moved her eyes from Willa, "No, you're right, Lord knows we need it, heck I wouldn't mind it myself right about now. It's just… I think we should avoid looking for magic sunflowers or Rapunzel, or anything from Tangled really, at least for now."

Jess could feel Willa's stare on her. Jess had little doubt it was the same calculating gaze the younger girl would give a particularly difficult math equation. She heard Willa ask, "Why not?" and she flinched. Her words were slow and deliberate, the kind a person uses when they think they know the answer, but really don't want to be right. Willa never was the lucky kind.

Jess' only answer was shifting her gaze from the floor to the journal in her lap. Staring at it Jess was overcome by a desperate desire to chuck the leather-bound book across the hall and hope the plethora of students in the hallway would kick it far away from her so she never had to see it again. Jess didn't realize how tight her grip on the journal had become until she felt Willa's cold fingers gently pulling the book from Jess' grasp. Jess opened her mouth but no sound came out. She wanted to warn Willa, tell her not to look, that the burden was hers and hers alone. The urge was overcome by the dire need to tell someone, to have some of the burden lifted from her tired shoulders, to have someone understand, to not feel so alone. She let Willa open the journal.

Jess turned and watched Willa's hesitant fingers flip through the journal until she arrived at the latest drawing. Dark lidded eyes scanned the page. The noise of the hallway, all the groups of friends talking and laughing with one another, never seemed so far away. The world faded into the background for both girls. The reality of their lives, theirs and their friends', felt so unreal. There was nothing normal about their lives. Nothing normal about the bitter sense of relief they felt when they realized that their clothes could hide the bruises, cuts, and burns that they had acquired the night before or that their injuries weren't serious enough to send them to the hospital, they were all tired of lying. There was nothing normal about the realization that it was normal for them. Willa looked up from the journal and back to Jess, "Does Amanda know?"

Jess shook her head, "No. Amanda left early this morning. Finn picked her up. They said they had some sorta project to work on, but I think they just wanted some alone time." She laughed but it sounded fake, even to her. "Don't get me wrong, they deserve it and I suppose they kinda needed it, especially after what happened last night."

Willa nodded grimly in understanding, "Yeah, well, we have a Keeper meeting after school anyway; I suppose we can wait 'til then to tell them and figure this out. That way they can go through the day with one less thing to worry about." Jess nodded her consent. Also why haven't you told Amanda about your side?" There was only concern in Willa's eyes and tone, "Why haven't you told any of us?"

Jess stared at her, "How did you…"

"Know? Jess, you got hit in the side by a CTD and I know from experience they hit hard. Also you nearly passed out trying to stand not even five minutes ago. As for knowing you didn't tell anyone. Philby and Charlene would've told me and Finn would have told Amanda and if Amanda did know she wouldn't have left you to get here by yourself. Jess, I'm a little more observant than you would like to believe."

Jess wasn't surprised, "Amanda would've just worried more than normal and besides we all do it. Keep our injuries, our pain, from each other. We don't want the others to worry or not let us come along that night where all we'll do is lie awake out of worry, wondering if one of our friends won't wake up in the morning. Wills," Jess paused and took a deep breath, which hurt her side but she tried not to show it and continued, "only someone who really knows Charlene would be able to tell that she has been limping since last Tuesday, people assume that Maybeck closes his eyes in class because he's lazy, not because he got hit in the head by the butt of a pirate sword two days back and the light agitates his eyes, no one ever questions the 'I'm just cold' excuse from Finn when he has to wear a jacket to cover the burns on his arms that seem to becoming a permanent part of his wardrobe, the rest of the world doesn't see the hesitation Amanda has before she stands because she is so tired from overusing her powers she's afraid she'll pass out if she tries, nobody notices Philby wince when he accidentally pulls at the old knife wound in his shoulder that was barely minor enough to avoid taking him to the hospital, but we do. Willa we all hurt, but if we can avoid it we don't tell anybody, especially each other because we know they're hurting too and we don't want to force them to carry our burdens unless we have no choice. Willa you're right handed and it doesn't seem to be concerning anyone that you've been favoring your left for two weeks, but we see it. Also I know what this Saturday means to you and I know you haven't told a soul."

Willa sighed and her shoulders slumped, "3 years, touché. I'm sorry, I just hate seeing my friends," She thought for a moment, "my family" she corrected, "get hurt in anyway. And the fear of losing you, I just can't, but it seems to become more and more of a possibility as of late with no visible end in sight."

Jess wanted to wrap her arms around her until the pain and hopelessness faded away from the younger girl, but she was Jess and Jess didn't do hugs. She settled for placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. We don't want to lose you either but it's alright, we'll get through this. We'll kick OT butt, and afterward we'll have the biggest celebration you can imagine with a cake as long as your kitchen table and as tall as you. And trust me, after this, being normal will be an adventure all its own. You have the Jess Lockhart guarantee. What's that thing you girl scouts do? Scouts honor and three fingers and all, right?"

Willa shook her head and laughed. It wasn't her normal laugh, but it was real and some light had returned to her eyes. Jess figured it would have to do for now. "I'll believe a lot of things, Jess. I believe in magic, Disney characters coming to life and turning into a hologram when I sleep. But Jessie, if you expect me to believe for a second you were ever a scout, you've got another thing coming."

Jess rolled her eyes playfully, "Oh, ha, ha, ha, brains and a sense of humor, lucky me." She said sarcastically.

Willa shrugged smirking, "You forgot a lovable personality, but I guess I can forgive you this time." Jess rolled her eyes again but really, she was just relieved Willa was smiling and joking around, Jess had missed it. Willa stood up, "Come on, Jess, let's get you to class. We'll see about getting you something for your side around lunch if you think you can hold out. The last thing we need is someone thinking I'm selling you drugs." With Willa's help Jess got to her feet with only a fraction of the pain she had trying by herself.

Slowly but surely they arrived at Jess' first period class, where they spotted a certain red haired Brit reading over his notes from the last class at his seat. He turned and his eyes lit up and his entire face brightened when he saw them, or more specifically Willa, but considering how the younger girl's face lit up as well, Jess figured she could call him out on it later.

After Jess was situated, Willa bid both of them farewell and turned to go to her class. Jess caught her arm and looked her dead in the eye, and with all the seriousness Jess could muster she told Willa, "Wherever this road will lead us, whatever happens, I'll follow you, I'll be there for you and I know you'll be there for me. Just, don't forget that." Willa nodded and Jess let go of her arm. With that, Willa walked out of the classroom. Jess made to grab her journal and look at the picture again only to realize that Willa still had it with her. The warning bell sounded and kids started coming in and finding their seats. As she watched them Jess spotted three pairs of green eyes. Whether natural or OTKs, she didn't know but one thing was for certain, it was going to be a long day. And Jess wasn't looking forward to the meeting after school.


	2. We Shall Be Free

**Chapter 2 We Shall Be Free**

The final bell rang letting those gathered that they were free to go. Some students shot up having been ready to leave for the past hour and ran out the door. Some lingered a tad wanting to wait for the stampede to die down before they risked their lives in the overcrowded hallways.

In the back of the classroom a young man sat at his desk effectively dosing off. His brown hair covered his eyes as he used his textbook for the only real purpose it ever served him, a pillow. Most let him be, they had very little time for freedom before they would be confined once more in the morning and didn't want to spend it in the school any more than they had to. With a sudden jolt the boy sprang up mumbling some lie about being awake. Realizing the day was over he rubbed his tired green eyes and gathered his things.

Finn felt like he was sleepwalking as he stepped into the hallway. The lights, the people, the noise and the smells all seemed so close but still too far away for him to reach. To say he hadn't been sleeping well lately would be a gross understatement. For the past three weeks whenever he wasn't crossing over and spending his nights running around the various Disney parks, he was plagued by horrible dreams, nightmares really. They differed in topic mostly, but they nearly always ended the same, in blood and the sound of at least one of his six friends screaming. Sometimes he called one of them in the middle of the night just to make sure his nightmares weren't real and his friends were safe. The girls were nicer about it than Maybeck or Philby, but as long as he heard them and knew they were okay, Finn could deal with them being angry at him.

Walking down the hallway, Finn caught sight of one of the only things in his world that made his struggle worth it. A dark caramel skinned girl was leaning up against his locker, with her dark hair falling down her back. She looked exhausted, but at least happy to see him. She waved as he approached. He responded in kind and when he got to her side he opened his locker while asking, "You ready to go already?"

She looked at him the corners of her lips pulling into a frown, "Finn, we got out ten minutes ago. Where were you?"

She didn't sound angry and Finn knew she wasn't but he really didn't want to go into it with her, "I must've dozed off during English," He tried to pass it off as nothing and continue packing his bag but he knew she wouldn't let it drop at that. "I guess I don't see the point of all the symbolism stuff, I mean why can't a tree just be a tree and not the deep bonds the two friends made when they were young growing into something more, I mean cool for them, but why am I supposed to care? Is it really that important to the plot, and what's up with that? I mean I have no idea what is going on most of the time, there all these twist and turns that don't make sense. It seems like the author what's his face, is content to let his characters suffer, and not give them any direction while at the same time telling them that there's an end to the story just over the hill, but what does it matter what's over the hill if some of the characters don't make it there. And I…"

Amanda put a hand on his shoulder and Finn realized he had been rambling, and shouting by some of the looks he was being given by the remaining people in the halls. "Finn, that's why symbolism is important. You weren't talking about the book, were you?"

Finn took a couple of deep breaths to calm his nerves, but his hands were still shaking and he didn't dare turn to look at Amanda. "No, I guess I wasn't, I'm sorry about that."

She wrapped her arms around him from behind, "Don't worry," He could feel her breath on his ear, "we all do it from time to time. You should hear Jess on a bad day." She let out a humorless laugh, "It's okay Finn, you may be our leader but you don't have to be made of stone. You are allowed to feel."

The world became more tangible to Finn, "Thank you." He didn't say what for, she knew. "So, you ready to go?"

She nodded into his shoulder and unwrapped herself from him. Finn didn't say anything but he missed her warmth almost immediately. He gathered the last of his things and together they walked out of the school into the mid-afternoon Florida sun. It was warm out, too warm to be wearing a jacket anyway, but Finn knew it would be worse if he took it off. They hopped on his bike with practiced ease and took off down the street toward Frozen Marble. The wind in his face and Amanda perched on the handlebars in front of him, Finn's head started to clear. The fog that he had been fighting through for the past several days finally gave way. The weight on his shoulders lifted. Whatever horror or pain awaited him, he could worry about later. Right now, he was with the most amazing girl in the world. Without thinking he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek

Amanda turned to him with a smile upon her face, "What was that for?"

Finn smirked playfully, "Because I like you." A lot, but he didn't say it. She knew.

Amanda's smile got wider, "I like you too." Then her smile did a disappearing act as she stared off to the right. Amanda closed her eyes and shook her head.

Finn furrowed his eyebrows, "What's wrong?"

Amanda turned back and grinned, even though Finn could tell it was forced. She tried to keep her voice calm and light, "It's nothing, really. I guess I really haven't been getting enough sleep, next thing you know I'll be seeing pink elephants everywhere I go." Finn didn't laugh.

When they had arrived at the Frozen Marble, they caught sight of two teenagers, a boy and a girl, sitting together in the back corner of the ice cream shop. The boy had taken the girl's hand and was stroking the back of it with his thumb. He had a reassuring smile on his face and was speaking to her in hushed tones. The girl was definitely pretty, beautiful even, there was no denying that, but Finn knew she would be prettier if not for the fact that her skin looked faded and pale, and the fact that there were definite tear tracks running down her face. Finn hoped it wasn't anything too bad, he really didn't think she needed to lose any more color. The voice of denial in his head told him that it wasn't anything to be concerned about, she just looked pale when compared to her African American counterpart. Unfortunately it didn't satisfy the other voice telling him that there was something very wrong.

When Maybeck saw them, he let go of Charlene's hand. Her hand reached out to take his hand back but it was already out of her reach. Finn could tell she was confused until she saw them as well and she reached up and wiped her face free of tears. Finn decided that the gig was up and he and Amanda walked over to join them.

Maybeck and Charlene moved in to make room for Finn and Amanda. Amanda took a spot next to Charlene and gave her a reassuring smile. Charlene repeated the gesture, though her hands started nervously tapping the table. Eventually Finn couldn't handle the awkward silence, "So, have any of you heard anything from the Brainy bunch?"

Maybeck shifted in his seat and pulled out his phone, "Yeah, the nutty Professor texted me a bit ago, apparently Jess and Willa had an argument. Don't know what about though. He says they'll get here soon."

Amanda and Charlene leaned forward at this but it was Charlene that spoke, "Why would those two fight with each other? They're best friends, it doesn't make sense." Charlene put a hand to her chin in thought. Just then the door opened again. And speak of the devil and the devil shall come. Jess seemed to forget that Willa could hear and was telling the younger girl a story through the biggest gestures she could muster. If Finn had anything to say about it, he would think that Jess was underplaying that afternoon, and not as boisterous as the little troublemaker usually was. Willa was grinning brightly and adding her take when she could get a word in edgewise, very rarely. Philby walked in behind them clearly not amused. "That makes even less sense."

The three came over to the other four and sat down. Philby slid next to Finn, while Willa took the seat next to Amanda and Jess pulled up a chair to sit on the end. Both girls kept their bright eyes and wide grins. Finn was confused, he turned to Philby and asked, "They made up already? Why were they mad at each other anyway"

Philby's face reflected Finn's as the former rose an eyebrow, "They were mad at each other?"

"You sent a text to Maybeck saying they had an argument."

Philby made an oh sound, "They did, just not with each other."

Amanda frowned, "OTs?"

Philby made a sound in the back of his throat that could have been taken for a chuckle, "Worse, teenage girls."

Jess took the opportunity to jump in, "You should've seen it, Miss Brainiac over here," Jess gestured to Willa, "decided it would be a smart idea to call one of the meanest girls in school an idiot in front of the entire class."

Willa piped up, "Hey, I didn't say she was an idiot, granted, I thought it, but I didn't say it and even you have to admit…"

Finn knew this could go on for awhile, "Okay, okay, we get it." Willa and Jess fell silent and gave their attention back to Finn, "We can get back to that later, right now we kinda have more pressing matters to discuss." The rest of the group nodded, Philby a little more enthusiastically than one would deem necessary. "Okay, as I'm sure you're all aware, we're all crossing over tonight, you-know-who wanted us to meet him in Esther's Keep. And no, I don't know why, he wouldn't say. Honestly, Amanda and I hit kinda a dead end last night with the whole Winnie The Pooh incident." Finn met each of his friend's eyes but there was no doubt where they lingered when he had finished talking.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught Willa sending a look toward Jess. They had a silent conversation with one another before Jess reluctantly nodded. Willa reached into her bag and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "Actually, we may have a new lead." All traces of their previous exuberance were gone, only to be replaced by a grim acceptance, much like a condemned man going to the gallows.

Willa handed over the paper over to Finn. She wouldn't meet his eyes. He opened the piece of paper to see a photocopy of a journal page. "Oh, no." She nodded and cast a sidelong glance at Jess. Finn's head was spinning with all the horrible possibilities that one 8X11 1/2 piece of paper could hold. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and set the paper on the table in front of everyone.

At the very center of the page there was a fairly large drawing of a tree, evergreen of some sort, with the numbers 6,0, and 8 written over and over in weaving lines from the base of the tree like roots. That didn't really bother Finn, what bothered him about the picture was next to the tree stood a cloaked woman with one hand resting on the bark. She was smiling gently at it and Finn could almost hear her voice telling it, "mother knows best." Shivers went up his spine.

Maybeck was the first to break the silence as he leaned back in his seat, "Okay, what does it all mean?"

"I'm not sure of everything, but if I'm right, Mother Gothel wants to lure us out and gotta say, she has some pretty compelling bait." Willa's eyes never left the paper.

Maybeck snorted, "What a tree?"

Willa finally looked up and met Maybeck's eyes, "Other hand, Terry." Everyone, with the exception of Jess and Willa, leaned back in to get a better view of the page. Sure enough, Finn spotted in the hand Mother Gothel kept by her side, a flower, a very special flower.

Charlene started lightly tapping her hand against the table, "Woah," her voice was barely above a whisper, "that _is_ pretty good bait." Murmurs of assent went around the table.

Amanda's lips formed a straight line, "So what do we do about it?"

Finn looked up to find that everyone was looking at him, he was used to it, but nothing could have made him entirely comfortable with it. They were heading either to victory or slaughter, and whichever it would be, Finn would be the one to lead them to it. "Nothing, we're already in over our heads as it is. We just can't risk it."

The girls accepted his answer with nods, though Charlene and Willa both looked reluctant. The boys, however, weren't ready to give up the fight and Philby was using the most deadly weapon in his arsenal, logic. "Finn, if we don't risk it, then the OTs have a way to regenerate themselves and no matter what we do we'll never leave a dent in their forces. Not to mention, if we have it, that flower could give us the edge to finally win this war. I don't know about you but I'm tired of the lies we have to tell to cover up our injuries"

Surging anger raced through Finn's mind, when he spoke it was through gritted teeth, "I know, don't you dare think I don't know that?!" He took a deep breath and turned to look Philby in the eye. Calmer now he said, "Philby, we do this and we play right into their hands. That's a risk that could cost any or all of the lives of anyone at this table. I can't and won't take that risk, and I don't think you want to either." Philby broke his gaze with Finn and looked across the table, but whether he found any sort of encouragement or argument in Willa's eyes, Finn didn't know, " If the OTs have it, then we'll have to figure something out, but we can't go headlong into a fight we probably won't win."

There was a startled gasp from behind Finn and he turned to Maybeck in time to catch him say, "They may not have it." His voice held a renewed sense of vigor and life.

"What are you talking about, Maybeck?" Charlene asked. Finn doubted Charlene even knew she was still tapping the table.

Maybeck looked around the table expectantly, "Don't you guys get it?"

Amanda did, "Guys, Jess's dreams tell us that something is going to happen, but it doesn't tell us when, Mother Gothel may not have the flower now."

Finn could've cursed; this whole thing didn't feel right. He knew Charlene was with Maybeck and Philby. That he could deal with because if it came to a vote it would still be four to three in his favor. However, if Amanda switched sides, that was checkmate for him. Before he could speak Jess beat him to it, "We can't bet on that!" Her features were pulled back into a face that held more anguish than her voice. "Don't you guys see? Even if we could get ahold of the flower first, Gothel has it in the picture, which means she would have gone through at least one of us to get it." Jess was still breathing hard when she finished, and to Finn it sounded pained. He cast a quick glance over to Amanda whose lips were pressed into a thin line letting him know that she caught it too.

The table once again dissolved into silence, save the sound of Charlene tapping. With all of the firmness and confidence of the leader Finn didn't think he was, he said, "We're not looking for it." Not even giving the naysayers the chance to speak up he continued, "Remember guys, we meet up tonight in Esther's Keep around nine. Go to bed around eight." He turned to Willa, "Do you have any more copies," He gestured to the drawing in front of them. She nodded and once more reached into her bag and pulled out four more copies and gave one to Amanda, Philby, Charlene, and Maybeck in turn. Finn let her and then spoke once more, "Take a look at it for now, see if you can figure anything out about those numbers, we'll discuss it more tonight after we've all had a chance to really think about it." Another round of hesitant nods. "Well, then I guess we're done here then, anything else we'll address tonight." Finn looked toward Amanda who awarded him with a reassuring smile, that wasn't really reassuring due to how forced it looked.

The silence among them was deafening. Finn looked at each of his friends and what he saw scared him even more than Maleficent with a fireball while at the same time filled him with the hope that he felt when he saw Cinderella's Castle lit up against the night sky. A rag tag team of teenagers in way over their heads, but somehow staying afloat. One day they would be free of all the heartache and worry that befell them day after day, they just had to have a little faith and hold out, because if Finn had anything to say about it they would be free.


End file.
